


Mutsunokami's Kiwame Journey - Part 1, The Day Before

by Reikimon



Series: Mutsunokami and Yamanbagiri [10]
Category: touken Ranbu
Genre: M/M, Mutsunokami's Kiwame Journey - day before, Preparation, Sort of fluff but hint of sadness because of soon being apart, one last day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-20 22:37:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14271021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reikimon/pseuds/Reikimon
Summary: The partners have one day before Mutsunokami leaves on his kiwame journey.





	Mutsunokami's Kiwame Journey - Part 1, The Day Before

**Author's Note:**

> This set of stories will basically have the day before, mutsu's experience, and yaman dealing with being alone. Which order the last two come in depends highly on what the kiwame letters to aruji have to say. :)

Yamanbagiri and his partner stood facing each other in silence in the middle of their room, shortly after lunch. Mutsunokami had already had time to process the information before he told his partner, but it didn't lessen the impact for either man.

 

“Already....” Yamanbagiri commented quietly, having no idea what else he could say. They had just made plans the previous evening to make some memories before their kiwame journeys came, yet here they were, with Mutsunokami starting his the next morning.

 

“Nya, Yaman...,” Mutsunokami grabbed his partner's face in his hands, smiling happily into it, “You got your wish. Now you don't have to worry if I'll try to change your mind.”

 

“Yes.” Yamanbagiri felt more unsettled by this news that he had anticipated. _If only it hadn't come so quickly_.

 

Mutsunokami felt torn as he looked into the pair of concerned green eyes. On one hand, he really had wanted the extra time to spend with his partner, just as they had planned; but on the other hand, he was excited about being able to take his journey and becoming stronger. Having to leave Yamanbagiri behind was the only thing he disliked about the entire situation.

 

“I would take you if I could.” He said in a soft tone.

 

It was the tone that Yamanbagiri was accustomed to hearing when his partner was trying to encourage, or in this case, calm him. Hearing it made him realize that had to push away the feelings swirling in his head so they could enjoy the rest of their day together.

 

“I guess we should get you ready to go then.” He tilted his head up enough to kiss his partner's lips.

 

“Ah, yeah, Aruji will have my travel set ready by tonight.” Returning a kiss before letting his partner go, Mutsunokami began to look around the room. “I just need to take a few extra things with me.”

 

Yamanbagiri decided to help by folding an extra set of clothes his partner would need. As he smoothed the fabric of each item, he tried to imagine what the new kiwame outfit would look like; envisioning something bold and bright, just like his partner. He watched him move around the room picking things up and wondering out loud if he would need to take that particular item with him.

 

Mutsunokami suddenly set a camera on the table in front of him.

 

“Yaman, can you take this to town and have the pictures printed? Or would you rather I ask someone else?”

 

“I can take care of it for you. You want me to put the pictures on the board in the main room?”

 

“Yaaa...That would be great, thanks! The extras can go to Kiyomitsu, except the ones of you of course. I keep all those.” He instructed before continuing,”I'll take this old, small camera for pictures so I can show you where I went when I get back.”

 

“Mutsu, they may not have cameras yet, depending on when and where you are sent.” Yamanbagiri pointed out, feeling like he was deflating his partner's enthusiasm.

 

“Nyaaaa.....,” Mutsunokami huffed and frowned, “I guess I can't take it then.”

 

Yamanbagiri smiled at his partner and the funny sounds he made depending on whether he was excited or disappointed. That one syllable, _Nyaaa_ , had so many different connotations depending on the inflection his partner gave it. He wished he had a recording of it to play when he was alone.

 

“Yaman, I have an idea!” Mutsunokami squatted down near him after he had finished collecting several items, “Let's take the camera to town, buy a bento for dinner, and eat it together in our tree.”

 

“Mutsu...I think you should rest.” Yamanbagiri responded. He knew the walk to town and back was long and didn't want his partner to leave tired the next day.

 

“Nah! We'll have time after dinner to rest. I just want to do this with you before I go.” He looked intently at Yamanbagiri, debating on whether or not he should just drag his partner to town anyways.

 

“Then of course Mutsu, let's do those things.” He would have protested more except for the fact that his partner had the look of wanting to have his way. Experience had taught him that it was much easier to give in; besides, he also really wanted to do these things as well.

 

The trip to town involved several mini-excursions to photograph small critters and the new foliage that was beginning to bloom along the way. After the pictures were requested, the two men stopped by a small shop and chose a large bento before returning to the citadel and perching themselves in their tree. As they shared dinner, Mutsunokami kept trying to steal his partner's korokke because “ _it looks tastier than mine,_ ” even though it was pointed out they were eating the same things. This information didn't make a difference though, because Yamanbagiri's food would always taste better in his opinion.

 

By the time the two were finishing their bento, small droplets of rain began to fall. The two men had seen the clouds before they had returned from town but had only considered it would be a light shower at most. However the light rain soon turned into a steady downpour, prompting them to quickly return to their room.

 

Once inside, their wet clothes and the cooler air that was common for early spring evenings made them realize how much the temperature had dropped since they had originally left for town.

 

“Yaaaaa, it's still so cold!” Mutsunokami flipped off his shoes and headed to the room heater to turn it on and change clothes.

 

Yamanbagiri took his shoes off and lined them neatly next to his partner's, taking the time to straighten those as well. He stopped and looked at the shoes realizing this would be the last time he would do that for a while. Feeling a lump in his throat, he tried to change his thoughts.

 

“Oh, I should have made tea.” He turned around and saw his partner flapping the sides of his open yukata back and forth. _Why Mutsu_?

 

“It's too wet and cold to go back out.” Mutsunokami pointed out. Holding his hands out to feel the warmth emanating from the heater he glanced at his partner to make sure he wasn't planning to go make the tea.

 

“Yes, but it would help to warm us up faster.” Still in his cloak, he considered if it was worth going out to get the tea. Even if his natural heater of a partner was already warming up, he was still quite cold.

 

“Sake!” The brunette suddenly exclaimed; letting go of the yukata. Opening the door to their cabinet, he reached inside and grabbed a small bottle and two sake cups and held them up to his partner.

 

“Alright.” Yamanbagiri agreed without hesitation. Happy with the prospect of being able to start warming up, he quickly changed his clothes before moving to the kotatsu where he stopped behind his partner. Mutsunokami's damp hair was laying flat, which made it look unnaturally neat. He reached out and fluffed up a thick strand. It flopped back down but with a slight curve which met with his approval.

 

“Nyaa, Yaman, it'll dry.”

 

“But it's all flat. It doesn't look right.” He said, now using both hands to fluff up the hair. Yamanbagiri had always thought that the thick, brown hair always looked better when it was a random mess over his head.

 

Mutsunokami closed his eyes enjoying the feeling of fingers running through his hair. This was always so relaxing; however, it also made him very drowsy and he wasn't ready to sleep yet, especially tonight.

 

“Come drink your sake.” He finally said.

 

“After I finish.”

 

A large hand suddenly ran fingers through his hair and ruffled it wildly; pushing the smaller hands out of the way.

 

“Mutsunokami,” The blonde frowned down at the pile of messed up hair, “Why did you do that?”

 

“So we can drink sake and get warm.”

 

“Closing your yukata would help.” He pointed out as he eyed the long strands of hair that hung down his partner's back.

 

“Nyahaha.” Mutsunokami pulled his yukata closed, “I poured your sake.”

 

“Okay.” Yamanbagiri picked up the long brown section and began to run his fingers through it, separating the strands.

 

“Yaman...” He tilted his head back and looked up, “Come sit down.”

 

Yamanbagiri looked down into his partner's face, placing his hands on either side of his head.

 

“Alright.” He kissed him on the forehead before seating himself at the table, fighting the urge to ooze into the large lap and warm body next to him.

 

“Mutsu, where do you hope you get sent?” Yamanbagiri wanted to listen to the voice he had become so accustomed to hearing over the past several months. He expected the answer to be related to the sea, but knew there would be deeper details in his partner's thoughts.

 

“The sea, of course!” Amber-colored eyes lit up along with the smile. Mutsunokami began to talk about where and when he hoped he would be sent, and that maybe he would have a chance to at least see Ryoma and the things his former master loved. Yamanbagiri couldn't help but be mesmerized by the look in his partner's eyes as he spoke enthusiastically about everything that he hoped waited for him.

 

In the later hours of the evening, Mutsunokami had himself draped over his partner's body, his arms under Yamanbagiri's shoulders so he could run his hands through the silky blonde hair. Relaxed from a combination of the sake and the pleasant comfort of being with the person he loved, he looked forward to this last part of the day.

 

“Yaman, will you promise me two things for when I'm gone?”

 

“Depends on what they are.” Yamanbagiri answered as he traced the area in between Mutsunokami's chest muscles.

 

“Promise you'll look at the stars every night and think of us; because I'll be doing the same.”

 

“Of course Mutsu...You don't even need to ask me to do that. Now what's the second one?”

 

“That you'll tell yourself you're pretty every day; since I can't be here to do it.”

 

Yamanbagiri's face blushed. Mutsunokami could have asked him to do anything else and he probably would have easily said yes. This was a different thing though.

 

“I...Don't know...” His voice faltered.

 

“Yamanbagiri, it's important to me that you do that, I don't want to have to ask Horikawa.”

 

Yamanbagiri's face blushed even deeper red.

 

“You wouldn't ask him.”

 

“I would; it's very important you hear that every day.” Mutsunokami had a serious look in his eyes. He felt it was a necessity that his partner be reminded how pretty he was.

 

“Fine, I promise I'll do it for you.” He relented, knowing there was no way he could hear that coming from his brother.

 

“Thank you!” He grinned and shoved his face against his partner's neck, slowly kissing the soft skin which was usually hidden by white fabric, “Now it's time for a Yaman-feast!”

 

Yamabagiri let out a long sigh.

 

“Mutsu, do you _have_ to keep linking me with food?”

 

“Yaaah! You and food are my two most favorite things in the world, of course you should always be paired!”

 

Yamanbagiri couldn't help but let out a small laugh at Mutsunokami's logic.

 

Morning came much too quickly for both of them, but they accepted the sunrise and prepared for their vastly different day. Shortly after breakfast, they stood facing each other near the teleporter as Mutsunokami did one last check to make sure he didn't forget anything.

 

“Alright...I'm rea-...Oh wait!” He darted forward several steps to where Yamanbagiri stood, carefully taking his face in his hands. He whispered something into his partner's ear before returning to his original spot.

 

“I'm off!” Mutsunokami flipped the lever and was soon gone.

 

“Stay safe.” Yamanbagiri whispered, continuing to stare at the last spot his partner had been standing, hoping to hold on to the sight of his face for just a few moments longer. Thinking about what Mutsunokami had whispered made him smile and helped him feel just a little less sad.

 

“Yamanbagiri.” Horikawa, who had been watching the two from a distance, approached his brother.

 

“I'm fine.” He answered his brother's question before it was asked, but chose not to make eye contact.

 

“Want to talk for a bit?”

 

“No. I have things to do, but thanks.” He turned away.

 

“Yamanbagiri, you don't have to do this alone.” He knew his brother's natural inclination to withdraw into himself.

 

“I know. Thanks Horikawa, I'll see you later.”

 

Yamanbagiri returned to their room and stood in the entrance looking around. The place already seemed too quiet and too empty. Taking a small box from its place on the shelf, he pulled out the single item it held and affixed it to the center of the night sky pictures Mutsunokami had created for their six-month anniversary. From here, he would be able to see it from anywhere in the room.

 

Standing back, he looked at the picture he had taken of his partner when he was trying to learn how to use the camera. He was glad Mutsunokami had insisted on it.

 

“Have a good adventure, Mutsunokami.” He said to the picture before leaving to start with his duties for the day.

 


End file.
